Bronx native, Marine Corps veteran, and community advocate Gonzalo Duran has officially launched his campaign for Lieutenant Governor of New York in the 2026 election. His announcement on November 6, 2025, marks the beginning of a campaign he says will not just challenge Democrats—but demand accountability from his own party.
Fresh off his citywide run for New York City Public Advocate, Duran says he’s not slowing down—and neither should the Conservative Party.
“New York does not need more political insiders,” Duran declared. “It needs leaders who understand working-class families, who know what it means to struggle, to serve, and to fight.”
Born to immigrant parents and raised in the Bronx, Duran graduated from DeWitt Clinton High School before enlisting in the United States Marine Corps. After serving his country, he founded Devil Dog USA, a nonprofit helping veterans transition back to civilian life—while attending Fordham University.
From coat drives to speaking against lithium battery plants in the freezing weather, from protesting rising crime to registering new voters, Duran has built a reputation as what supporters call “a hands-on leader—not a podium politician.”
A Challenge to His Own Party
Duran, now Vice Chairman of the Bronx Conservative Party and District Leader of the 79th Assembly District, made it clear—his campaign is not just against Democrats or Socialist.
“I can win the Bronx Conservative nomination,” Duran said. “But I expect state leadership to give our party’s ballot line away to Republican insiders again. That is how we lose our identity, our leverage, and our people. What is the point of a Conservative Party if we do not run conservatives?”
He argues New York voters are not looking for extremism—but authenticity.
“New York is not Alabama. Hard-right candidates don’t win here. We need urban conservatives—tough on crime, fiscally responsible, but grounded in the reality of working families: rent-payers, veterans, small business owners, and support from the immigrant community. I am one of them.”
His Platform — Five Pillars
Duran’s campaign centers on what he calls a “Conservative Blueprint” built on five core principles:
- Public Safety & Law Enforcement Support
- Fiscal Accountability & Anti-Corruption
- Immigration Reform with Compassion & Law
- Veterans’ Services & Mental Health Support
- Empowering Working-Class Families, Not Political Elites
On Immigration
“As a first-generation American, I know the fear, sacrifice, and hope families carry. Reform is not about hate—it as about fairness, dignity, and security for citizens and immigrants alike.”
On Donald Trump
“I am not going to fight the Trump administration—but I will not be a rubber stamp either. My loyalty is to the people, not personalities.”
A Movement, Not a Moment
Duran earned over 465,113 votes in the Public Advocate race—24.9 percent—more than any Republican citywide candidate. But he says the real story is what comes next.
“This election will define New York’s future. I am not asking everyone to agree with me—I am asking them to believe we can fix this state. Together.”
And if his own party stands in the way?
“If the Conservative Party won’t back its own people, I will go independent. I created the United Alliance Party last year—we ran seven candidates, drew media, energy, and voters. I am not afraid to do it again.”
Photo by Today’s Pixels.
Featured image credit: DepositPhotos.com
